Anybody Have Good Ali Express Experiences?

[Amfchang]

I’ve realized after paying substantially more for lip kits, spoilers, Carbon bits, most of the bmw and Supra mkv platform run replica carbon which is great but not many admit it. I’ve noticed there’s a few who’ve had great experiences. I was wondering what vendors have you gone through from Ali Express/Ali Baba/ EBay and had good returns. I’ve seen greater than or equal to the quality of rexpeed.

- Ali Express
- Ali Baba
- Extreme Online Store (EOS)
- EBay
- etc.

I understand some of you have strong feelings about Replica Brands and I used to as well. I understand if it’s an actual kit but if it’s just a flap of carbon then I’ll pass. Other platforms would get way more parts for the cost we pay and that’s just my opinion.
If you disagree so strongly, feel free to buy an extra authentic flap of carbon for me in spirit.

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[Thraxbert]

I strongly suspect most of these brands we "know" here are just rebadged ODM products from China. That's how most of the world works, including forum favorites like Garrett. Also: most of your PC motherboards, laptops, memory sticks, mice, cases, power supplies, and so on.

 

[XtremeMaC]

I strongly suspect most of these brands we "know" here are just rebadged ODM products from China. That's how most of the world works, including forum favorites like Garrett. Also: most of your PC motherboards, laptops, memory sticks, mice, cases, power supplies, and so on.

Right. Product name Mike wing. The you see exact design and images, ike wing then zike wing undercutting by $3. Few pages down you see Wike wing with CF pattern $20 more.

 

[BMWAF]

I can't speak for larger items but I have ordered some carbon fibre bits and other random junk from AliExpress and for the most part it is pretty good. As others have mentioned, it's mostly just cutting out the Amazon/Ebay seller middle man most of the time.

I will say however, that you also need to be prepared for the odd item that is a complete fail - lots of bootleg and rejected samples in the mix I suspect. So buyer beware.

Here's a clear example of a TRD $120 badge and a $20 AliExpress special:

It's not too bad on its own, if a little orange but when sitting next to the original, it's really pretty ordinary.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of AliExpress but sometimes you just get what you pay for.

 

[Luckymike]

All good stuff from Aliexpress!!

 

[Extreme Power House]

I strongly suspect most of these brands we "know" here are just rebadged ODM products from China. That's how most of the world works, including forum favorites like Garrett. Also: most of your PC motherboards, laptops, memory sticks, mice, cases, power supplies, and so on.

Many well-known brands are manufactured in China, and AliExpress often has copies or identical items. However, thousands of manufacturers in China frequently claim to produce genuine parts, even when they don't (honesty isn't always their strong suit).

Here are some risks associated with purchasing items from AliExpress:

1. No warranty: If the product doesn't fit, the seller may ask you to send it back for inspection. Given that shipping costs are often higher than the item's value, you'll likely end up throwing the item in the trash and losing everything you paid.
2. Misleading claims: Some sellers claim to use high-quality materials like 304 stainless steel, but in reality, they use lower-grade materials like 201 stainless steel.
3. Counterfeit products: Many sellers claim to produce genuine parts for well-established companies, but in most cases, this isn't true. What you receive may be a subpar copy with inferior quality, fitment, and reliability.

In my opinion, if the price on AliExpress is too good to pass up and you're willing to take the risk, go for it. However, if you're only saving 10-30%, it's better to purchase the genuine part for the full warranty, support, and peace of mind.

 

[chuckyl]

Ali Express
I've used them numberous times without an issue.

 

[BMWAF]

In my opinion, if the price on AliExpress is too good to pass up and you're willing to take the risk, go for it. However, if you're only saving 10-30%, it's better to purchase the genuine part for the full warranty, support, and peace of mind.

When you factor in shipping from Aliexpress is next to nothing and shipping from the US from most small online stores (to Australia for me) is insane, the AliExpress risk/cost and returns cost is reduced. Also, The AliExpress refund/disputes system works fairly well from my experience.

 

[Extreme Power House]

When you factor in shipping from Aliexpress is next to nothing and shipping from the US from most small online stores (to Australia for me) is insane, the AliExpress risk/cost and returns cost is reduced. Also, The AliExpress refund/disputes system works fairly well from my experience.

Shipping to the US is affordable, but sending items from the US to China can be quite costly, particularly when compared to the item's price.

If you file a claim, the vendor typically asks you to return the item for inspection, and if it's found to be defective, they'll either replace it or reimburse you for shipping.

However, due to the high cost of return shipping, many customers don't find it worthwhile to proceed with the claim.

As mentioned earlier, you will have a different experience with different vendors. If the price is too good, it might be worth the risk.

 

[BMWAF]

This is a push. Return shipping to the US is expensive too. And you're forgetting to mention that the dispute process is handled by AliExpress not the sellers. While my experience with AliExpress is limited, it is certainly not as gloomy as you portend.

 

[BraveDemon]

Recently in the past six months or so tried out Ali Express. Not items for the Supra, but mostly exterior parts for the daily (GLA45) as there’s really not much available for it here in the States. Things ranging from large carbon fiber bumper replica OEM parts, carbon fiber mirror caps, panamericana grille, etc.

Generally be smart - buy items from sellers with lots of reviews. Of the half dozen or so purchases I’ve made, the only one I regretted was the one where the price was way too good for what was offered. Return shipping costs was not worth it so I ate that loss.

Otherwise it’s just a matter of waiting an eternity for the items to arrive from China.

 

[Extreme Power House]

Generally be smart - buy items from sellers with lots of reviews. Of the half dozen or so purchases I’ve made, the only one I regretted was the one where the price was way too good for what was offered. Return shipping costs was not worth it so I ate that loss.

Otherwise it’s just a matter of waiting an eternity for the items to arrive from China.

^This

1- Purchase from sellers with numerous reviews.
2- Consider buying if the price is exceptionally good.
3- Remember that returning the item may not be worth it, so you may face a total loss if you're not satisfied with it.
4- Only buy if you're comfortable with potentially long waiting times.

Shopping on AliExpress is similar to shopping on eBay; sometimes it's a smart choice, and sometimes it's not. Just make sure to do thorough research before making a purchase.

 

[Amfchang]

I don’t mind the prices at all. Even the most expensive options are still cheaper than the ones I see for rexpeed. I’m just trying to find the right vendor. It’s hard to tell but I would like to try find some intel or specific good experiences if possible. There’s a spoiler that I’m looking for that looks like the TRD wing but it’s more of a duckbill. Its name is “trd style” but the one I received is bad fitment. So I was just curious for examples like this.

 

[jtsang25]

I don’t mind the prices at all. Even the most expensive options are still cheaper than the ones I see for rexpeed. I’m just trying to find the right vendor. It’s hard to tell but I would like to try find some intel or specific good experiences if possible. There’s a spoiler that I’m looking for that looks like the TRD wing but it’s more of a duckbill. Its name is “trd style” but the one I received is bad fitment. So I was just curious for examples like this.

Are you looking for a TRD style lip spoiler?

 

[lucky phil]

I've bought a ton of stuff from China and India and the general experience has been very positive. I have a theory that a lot of stuff from China is actually genuine OEM without the profit margin and packaging. So the Chinese get a contract to make 10,000 XYZ items for a big multinational with all the quality control etc and what they end up making is 15,000 items and 5000 go öut the back door" so to speak. You know "we make 2 for you and 1 for us"
Some of the stuff is very good. I bought some ignition pickup for my bike that were dirt cheap. I compared them to the factory originals and they actually looked superior and have been working fine. You of course need to be selective and be prepared for the odd poor experience but on the whole it's been very positive for me.
BMW parts are another example. Buying genuine BMW parts is crazy when you can get the identical part from the same OEM manufacturer but without the BMW logo for less than half the cost. A friend of mine always buys high mileage BM's from people to scared to keep them due to the cost of maintenance and cleans up.

Phil

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